“The job and career you may have today probably doesn’t even exist now,” is something I tell my 2 kids and the college students I teach.

I mean, perhaps the career they’ll have could closely tie to one in today’s current market, but how they work and what they’ll do is something that technology will open the doors to.

For example, the Pinterest phenomenon quickly jumped into the everyday realm of life, relationships, and sharing. A need to save great ideas, likes, interests, and hobbies, mixed with the desire to share them with friends, acquaintances, and the general public human race.

BOOM! Pinterest exploded and found its way into our everyday vocabulary.

Even through my husband of 23 years continues to toss out all sorts of “memorabilia” I found special enough to save due to my sentimental spirit, I recently found something “special” in our attic.

Yes, I found a 1990’s early model of Pinterest, minus the Internet, that is. In my quest to be super mom when our kids were little, I read and gathered all sorts of crafty ideas to try with them. From taffy to flubber, I posted ideas into a magnetic photo album of kid crafts. And when other “mom-friends” came over, we’d share additional ideas. And they’d jealously gaze at my fun collection of recipes, plans, and pictures to use at a moment’s notice on a rainy day to engage and enthrall my kids.

When I saw this relic (and before my sentimental-stuff-throwing husband got a hold of it!), I realized that this was my non-tech Pinterest of the mid-1990’s!

It got me wondering, “What do we regularly do now that we enjoy that one day technology will help us do as if it were on steroids?” Who knows? But I look forward to seeing!

And maybe, just maybe, one of my kids or college students will make their living providing easy access for people to do what they love more easily. And I’m betting their work will be done in ways that today don’t yet exist.

What common “non-tech” thing do we do today, that in 20 years will be a regular, household process, known by a catchy name that technology will make possible? Figure that out, design, develop and deploy it…and you’ll create your career and income stream! Ignite your potential with a bit of creative dreaming!

Dr. Scott remains an active Digital Immigrant, forever learning from the Digital Natives in her life. It’s the next generation that teaches her so much! And it’s that learning that helps her be a successful Professor and Director of Training & Development. http://www.LearningPursuits.com

What are the 1 or 2 values that you wish were embraced and lived out by those you work with? When it comes to the team you lead, what value do you hold that you wish those on your team held to the same degree of importance?

What 1-2 values top your list? What would you name or call that value that is most important to you? These could range from a varying list of examples like integrity, honesty, win-at-all-costs, people-over-profit, kindness, collaboration, results-driven, or ?? Generally, think of your values as those important things that do not change with time or due to challenges, threats to success, or wild success. What values rise to the top of your values list as you mentally sift through the myriad possibilities? Jot down 1-2 (or possibly 3) values that are most meaningful to you.

1. Name the Values Most Important to You

How will you define the top 1-2 values that you’d like to see embraced by those you work with and lead? Assumptions get us nearly every time! Let’s be sure that we are not setting ourselves or our teams up for frustration by assuming that “everyone knows what this means,” because they may not define a value just like you do. Describe the dictionary-definition and meaning of each value that you named above.

2. Define the Values Most Important to You

Paper and Pen Work

What does each of these values look like when they are being lived out? How can you describe the behaviors and actions associated with each of these values most important to you? Consider your workplace and team culture. Think about how interactions of team members and those you lead may look and sound when these values are in action.

3. Describe the Behavioral Impact of Each Value

The process of naming, defining, and behaviorally describing each value that you want to live out – AND that you desire those you lead to embrace and live out is powerful for a few reasons. First, it helps you clarify for yourself what values you desire to govern your behavior. Second, it provides you a tangible way to share these values with those they lead. The shared definition of each value helps you all speak the same language. The behavioral description of the values you share provides a pictorial way for others to imagine themselves relative to this value. And third, when you share these values, this equips those on your team to modify their behaviors and attitudes in order for the team to function in a more unified manner as the collective team espouses the same values.

Technology works, too. Just capture your ideas!

4. Share the Values That Matter Most to You with Those You Lead … And Live Them!

Authentically leading from your heart and mind by sharing your top values represents a powerful aspect of the art of leadership. Knowing and sharing the values that matter most to you provide underpinnings of crafting your vision storyline of where you are leading. Or conversely, if you have already written your Vision Storyline for where you are leading, most likely the values that matter most are described in your vision, because they naturally came from your heart.

Great leaders are continually learning. Great leaders are continually developing.

When will you share your values with your team?

I invite you to use these 4 steps to craft your values as a jump-start toward powerful leadership in your learning pursuits.

At a high school basketball game with cross-town rivals, compassion stirred within me as a boy was wheeled to the center court at half-time to say “thank you” to the community for supporting him in his 4-month battle to survive a football game head injury. I had been at that big rivalry game. I had been one in a massive crowd that watched that motionless player get loaded into an ambulance.

A wave of compassion washed over me for this once strong and agile football boy who was now subdued in his wheelchair and overwhelmed by stands filled with fans at a wild basketball game. Compassion in considering the grief, loss, sadness, and many struggles his mother behind the wheelchair must still be going through settled in me. I want to take action to help them survive and get through this. If there had been an opportunity for attendees at this packed game to give money right then and there to help this family, I am confident it would have quadrupled the game proceeds benefit check raised and given to them during this halftime. Because nearly every parent I could see around me had eyes brimming with tears…as compassion filled them, along with gratefulness for our healthy sons.

As I reflect on being more compassionate this first month of the year, I do so with a desire to allow and then embrace the feelings of compassion I may have for others I interact with, or come across in my days.

Last week at a downtown red light on a cold January morning, I watched a man with a homeless sign smile brightly at drivers in cars ahead of me. “My Name is JAMES I’m homeless & could use any help” his cardboard sign read.

Will I engage my heart?

He waved a type of joyous, “Good Morning!” to folks as they hoped the red light would change to green so they could hurry to their jobs – to make money… to not have to make eye contact with James or to ever have to hold a sign like that. I felt compassion for James. Fortunately, during this red light, I embraced compassion and took a few needed steps of action to live compassion. It was quite simple.

I dug through my purse and car ashtray, finding a few piles of loose bills. “But what if I need cash later?” fleeted through my mind. Oh, that rational, “safe” voice with an edge of selfish care! “Then I’ll use a card,” my heart spoke to my mind. I am so thankful that I have work, money, a home, a car; I am glad I’m not James, and I hope this helps him in a small way.

With that, the light turned green, I hit the auto-window roll-down button on my passenger side, and waved at this man. He quickly came to my car as I rolled forward to him and stopped momentarily, backing up traffic for 3 seconds. “James,” I said as I handed him the cash, “may God bless you today,” I said. And we shared a smile while he verbally thanked me.

I am certain that some motorist farther behind me didn’t get through that red light because of the 3-second delay I caused by acting on my compassion with James. And I am OK with that!

Compassion is authentic when it moves you to action. True compassion transforms our behaviors.

How can I be on the alert this week – even today? What experience will I allow to slow me in my tracks? What observance will I choose to move me to action to compassionately help someone?